by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Planning is more than 90 percent complete for Hendricks Avenue’s year-long facelift, but City officials and project managers are still searching for ways to provide area businesses with parking.
City planners view the stretch of Hendricks between Mitchell Avenue and Prudential Drive as a gateway from the Southside to downtown and vice versa. Currently, that transit requires drivers to navigate cracked asphalt and pothole craters; the sidewalks are broken and uneven.
By the end of 2004, Better Jacksonville Plan spokesperson Lisa Rowe said Hendricks will feature palm trees, bike lanes, resurfaced roads, fixed sidewalks, improved drainage and historic lighting, all designed to bring pedestrians to San Marco’s east side. She said the redesigned Hendricks would more closely resemble San Marco Square with a steady stream of walkers wandering among boutiques, restaurants and shops.
“We’re really looking to create a safer, more pedestrian-friendly environment,” said Rowe. “Better safety and aesthetics means more pedestrians; more pedestrians means more business for shops and restaurants in the area.”
Business owners say they don’t doubt the area’s future aesthetic appeal, but several of them are wary of the redesign’s potential affect on rush-hour, drive-up business.
The streetscape improvement plans call for the avenue’s four lanes to be widened and pared down to three: north and southbound lanes split by turn lanes. Bike lanes will be constructed along the roadway, eliminating on-street parking.
James Hartley, co-owner of Hartley the Florist at the corner of Hendricks and Lasalle Street, said the loss of one northbound lane and one southbound, would further snarl traffic during morning and evening rush hours. He fears commuters will learn to avoid Hendricks.
“Unless people have specific business to do in San Marco, people will find a better way to go home,” said Hartley.
Hartley said his business has already been “slowed to a crawl,” by the project’s ongoing prep work.
Hartley’s flower shop features on-site parking so his business shouldn’t suffer the loss of on-street parking. However, he said every space lost creates a ripple affect among the area businesses.
“As it is, the Mexican restaurant — [La Napolera] — eats up all the parking for two blocks,” said Hartley. “When you further limit it by taking away spaces, then I start to see people taking my spaces for the library, or for Panera.”
Rowe said the City was examining several sites to supplement area parking. She said the City was negotiating deals with the Balis Community Center, the Knights of Columbus building and Swain United Methodist Church on Lasalle Street to use their lots prior to starting construction in January.
City Council member Art Shad, whose district includes Hendricks, said the church lot would provide 30 to 35 spaces just 300 feet from Hendricks. Rowe said the City was still negotiating terms with the church, but said the City would likely improve the lot in exchange for its use.
Additionally, Shad said he would investigate other means to mitigate the loss of parking. He said the finished product would benefit area businesses. Decorative sidewalks, hidden utility lines, lush landscaping and improved drainage would all create a better business environment, he said. “The condition of those streets and sidewalks are obvious to anybody that goes down there; they’re dangerous, they’re unsightly,” said Shad. “When the project’s finished, the area’s going to be beautiful; it’s what we need to do to incorporate Hendricks into the San Marco neighborhood.”